How to Overcome Cotton Mouth
Marijuana, formally known as cannabis sativa, is legal in many countries and states for both medicinal and recreational use. While consumption has many benefits, some users experience side effects as well. One of the most common is “cotton mouth,” technically referred to as Xerostemia or dry mouth.
The symptoms of cotton mouth include what feels like unquenchable thirst, a sore throat and a dry, sticky feeling that lingers even after drinking lots of water. Cotton mouth is not exclusive to smoking—it strikes whether you smoke, vape or consume edibles.
How Cotton Mouth Occurs
Contrary to popular belief, cotton mouth is not caused by smoke drying out your mucous membranes and throat. Scientists discovered that it occurs when active compounds in marijuana, known as cannabinoids, interact with the human endocannabinoid system. This system is comprised of cannabinoid receptors throughout our brains and bodies that are activated when we ingest cannabis.
These cannabinoids bind to receptor sites in the brain known as “endogenous cannabinoid receptor sites.” Since there are more than 80 recognized cannabinoids in marijuana, they cause all sorts of reactions and processes in the brain. Some are responsible for psychoactive effects (the “high” associated with marijuana), while others cause hunger, sleepiness, anxiety or cottonmouth, among other effects.
These receptor sites include submandibular saliva glands located in the bottom of our mouths that produce almost three-quarters of our required saliva. When you use marijuana, certain cannabinoids attach to areas of the brain that normally send messages to your parasympathetic nervous system to produce saliva, essentially slowing it down. This slowdown quickly results in a saliva shortage followed by cotton mouth.
How to Counteract Cotton Mouth
Now that scientists understand why cotton mouth occurs, we have better ways of dealing with this annoying side effect. While drinking water can help, it may not have a significant impact. However, it is important in general for medicinal users to always properly hydrate!
An excellent way to help reduce the symptoms of cotton mouth is to use a product like Salivea Extra Gentle Mouthwash or Hydrating, Moisturizing Mouth Spray. The moisturizers and natural enzymes in these products soothe and moisten dry mouth tissues.
A less popular option is to use marijuana products with lower potency strains of THC. This decreases some of the therapeutic benefits that medicinal users seek and leaves the recreational user feeling less “high.”
Chewing gum or sucking on candy stimulates saliva production, which may combat the feeling of dry mouth. Drinking herbal tea with honey and lemon can soothe throat irritation.
It’s also important to avoid smoking tobacco products and minimize caffeine intake as both exacerbate dry mouth symptoms.
The good news is, cannabis users don’t have to live with cotton mouth! Click here to discover the range of Salivea oral care products that help soothe cotton mouth symptoms.